Ecommerce Merchandising
Article | March 18, 2024
Digital innovations continue to be a driving force in changing how people make and receive payments. Cash registers are becoming obsolete as business owners now seek to achieve greater flexibility and control. Similarly, the days of basic systems and stationary credit card leaders are long gone. POS systems for restaurants are changing, evolving, and morphing in response to the demands of restaurateurs and other hospitality business owners for features that did not exist 10 years ago.
Impact of mPOS on Restaurants
The emerging startup business of mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) systems enables clean features to be considered in the overall restaurant-oriented design at a reasonable cost and with a lesser amount of time and effort. With mPOS systems, restaurants can enhance and improve their operational environment.
By opening the gates of traditional POS systems to external developers and the cloud, restaurant owners have ample opportunities to streamline existing processes, such as coupon redemption, and implement entirely new initiatives, like location-based marketing.
The ability of the mPOS solutions to provide versatility to restaurant payment systems is one of their greatest benefits. Using a portable device equipped with POS software, waitstaff can print food orders for the kitchen, create customer bills, and accept payments from a variety of options such as QR codes, UPI, debit cards, mobile wallets, and many others.
At the same time, these POS systems can facilitate communication between various restaurant departments. For instance, every order can feed information in real-time, allowing for the automatic tracking of inventory levels. In many instances, point-of-sale systems can also manage restaurant reservations.
The Wave of the Future
In recent years, the introduction of new technologies has enabled smart business solutions, such as mobile point of sale (mPOS), which have pushed the hospitality industry to achieve higher levels of internal expertise in core operational areas.
The restaurant sector has long been a creative space that caters to consumers' and cultures' ever-changing tastes. There is now an embrace of technology that customizes the customer experience in unimaginable ways. Restaurant POS systems will play a prominent role in enabling these hospitality spaces to introduce new ways of serving food to customers, in the coming years, providing opportunities for POS solution providers to launch advanced restaurant POS systems and capitalize on them.
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POS Solutions, Ecommerce Merchandising
Article | June 7, 2024
Optimize your ecommerce merchandising strategy with ecommerce top-tier tools and solutions. Perfectly manage and present your product data to enhance customer interaction and achieve ecommerce success.
Contents
1. Merchandising in the Age of Ecommerce
2. Strategic Product Placement: The Heart of Online Merchandising
3. Visual Merchandising: Crafting Compelling Digital Narratives
4. Leveraging Data for Dynamic Merchandising
5. Featured Ecommerce Companies and Tools
5.1. Bloomreach
5.2. 1WorldSync
5.3. Algolia
5.4. Bluecore
5.5. Bridgeline
5.6. RichRelevance
5.7. Shopware
5.8. Coveo
5.9. EDITED
5.10. Akeneo
6. Summation: A Nod to Ecommerce Merchandising's Critical Impact
1. Merchandising in the Age of Ecommerce
Ecommerce has seen a staggering rate of adoption and growth, reshaping consumer behavior and business strategies alike. It has transformed the world of traditional retail, making the transition from physical stores to digital platforms a critical move for businesses worldwide. The essence of ecommerce merchandising lies in creating an online environment that mirrors the tactile and visually rich experience of in-store shopping, adapting to the habits of the modern online shopper.
Despite the economic downturn during the pandemic, the ecommerce sector witnessed significant expansion, becoming the primary channel for many sellers and buyers. The global ecommerce revenue saw a remarkable increase of approximately 19% during the initial phase of the pandemic in 2020, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of the digital marketplace. An effective ecommerce merchandising strategy is a blend of smart product placement, dynamic visual storytelling, and insightful data-driven decision-making. It aims to create a compelling online environment that mirrors the physical retail experience, ensuring that products not only reach their target audience, but deeply resonate with them.
With 95% of purchases expected to become online by 2040, understanding the intricacies of ecommerce merchandising should be every retailer's raging priority.
[Source: angroid]
Prior to the pandemic, ecommerce accounted for only seven percent of grocery retail sales. However, this figure climbed to ten percent amid the pandemic, illustrating a significant shift in consumer shopping habits toward online platforms. Small and medium B2B companies worldwide also felt the positive ripple effects, with the US small business ecommerce revenue share jumping from 17% to 19% and a notable 31% overall increase in ecommerce penetration. The rapid evolution of ecommerce has made it an essential part of the global retail landscape, with continuous growth expected in the coming years. Merchandising in ecommerce focuses on leveraging digital tools and platforms to effectively reach and engage consumers, driving conversions and loyalty. It mirrors the intuitive, sensory-guided experiences of physical stores within the digital realm, fostering an environment where products not only find their audience, but also resonate with them on a profound level.
Let’s delve into the multifaceted approach required to refine your ecommerce merchandising strategy, ensuring your online store not only meets, but exceeds the expectations of today's discerning consumer.
2. Strategic Product Placement: The Heart of Online Merchandising
Ecommerce merchandising is the harmonious blend of strategic product placement, compelling visual storytelling, and data-driven decision-making in an online setting. Incorporating top PIM softwarecan significantly enhance this blend by centralizing, organizing, enriching, and distributing product data across multiple channels and platforms. Having said that, product placement remains at the heart of online merchandising embedding itself into the very essence of customer engagement, conversion optimization, and brand loyalty.
2.1 Harness the Power of Strategic Product Display
Elevate your ecommerce platform with the precision of a gallery curator. Think of your online space as an exhibition where each product is a masterpiece, meticulously placed to capture attention and inspire action. The strategic arrangement, coupled with compelling visuals, transforms the casual browser into a committed buyer, underlining the importance of aesthetics in digital commerce.
2.2 Leverage Data-Driven Wisdom for Unmatched Precision
In the realm of digital commerce, data is the compass that guides every decision. Employ data-driven insights to tailor your offerings to the nuanced preferences of your audience. This approach sharpens marketing strategies and elevates customer experiences, turning insights into actions that drive growth and customer satisfaction.
2.3 Craft Immersive Shopping Experiences
Imagine crafting an online environment so engaging that it rivals the allure of physical stores. Through innovative use of technology and storytelling, create an immersive shopping journey that captivates from the first click. This digital alchemy involves weaving together vivid product narratives, seamless navigation, and personalized touchpoints that improve customer experience and resonate with your audience on a profound level.
2.4 Empower Your Brand with Visual Storytelling
Visuals speak louder than words in the digital bazaar. Employ dynamic visual storytelling to showcase your products in a way that tells a story, evokes emotions, and ignites the imagination. This method highlights the uniqueness of your offerings and builds a memorable brand identity that stands out in a saturated market.
3. Visual Merchandising: Crafting Compelling Digital Narratives
The visual aspect of your online store plays a critical role in capturing and maintaining the interest of potential buyers. High-quality images, engaging videos, and immersive layouts are essential for improving product discovery and enhancing their value and appeal.
3.1 Tips for Maximizing Visual Impact
High-Quality Product Imagery: Use high-resolution images that accurately represent your products. Offering multiple views and zoom functionality helps customers get a better sense of the product, leading to increased confidence in their purchase decisions and making ecommerce experience more enticing to shoppers.
Lifestyle Photography and Videos: Beyond mere product shots, incorporate lifestyle images and videos that show your products in use. This helps customers visualize the products in their own lives, enhancing the emotional connection and perceived value. Implementing lifestyle photography and videos bridges the gap between online shopping and the tangible feel of a physical store.
Consistent Branding: Ensure that your visual content aligns with your brand identity. Consistency in style, color schemes, and messaging reinforces brand recognition and builds trust with your audience, fostering a fulfilling customer experience every time they browse product pages.
3.2 Homepage Optimization
Your homepage serves as the gateway to your brand’s world. It should encapsulate your value proposition, highlight current promotions, and guide visitors towards key products or categories. Engaging content, coupled with clear CTAs, lays the foundation for a journey ripe with potential for discovery and conversion.
3.3 Product Grouping and Categorization
Organize your offerings in a way that reflects the natural browsing and buying patterns of your target audience. Effective categorization and content marketing enhances discoverability and simplifies the decision-making process for customers, thereby reducing friction and bolstering sales.
3.4 Personalization and Recommendation Engines
Utilize data analytics and AI-driven tools to offer personalized product recommendations. This not only enhances the user experience by making it more relevant and engaging but also increases the likelihood of upselling and cross-selling.
4. Leveraging Data for Dynamic Merchandising
The ability to collect, analyze, and act on data is a powerful advantage of an effective ecommerce merchandising strategy. Ecommerce platforms are treasure troves of insights into customer preferences, behaviors, and feedback.
4. 1 Customer Behavior Analysis
Monitor how visitors interact with your site. Which products are they drawn to? Where do they spend the most time? Insights from these behaviors can guide adjustments to your merchandising strategy, ensuring you’re always aligning with customer interests.
4.2 A/B Testing
Regularly test different elements of your ecommerce site, from product placements to the design of CTAs. This iterative process allows refining the ecommerce merchandising approach based on concrete data, optimizing the user experience and increasing conversion rates.
4.3 Feedback Loops
Encourage and analyze customer feedback. Reviews, ratings, and direct feedback can provide invaluable insights into product performance, customer satisfaction, and areas for improvement. Mastering ecommerce merchandising is a journey of continuous learning, experimentation, and adaptation.
By focusing on strategic product placement, leveraging the power of visual storytelling, and harnessing data for informed decision-making, online shopping experiences can exceed customer expectations.
5. Featured Ecommerce Companies and Tools
The ultimate goal of ecommerce merchandising is not just to sell products, but to build lasting relationships with customers, fostering a sense of loyalty and trust that propels brands to new heights. Here are ten ecommerce solution providers that empower digital merchandising with their signature capabilities.
5.1Bloomreach
Bloomreach is pioneering the art of digital experiences with a vision that transcends mere convenience. The company is dedicated to delivering experiences that are not just incredible but also unforgettable, transforming everyday digital interactions into something extraordinary.
Key attributes
Business Empowerment: Enabling companies to create compelling digital narratives.
Visionary Outlook: Setting new standards in the digital experience landscape.
Enriched Global Presence: Influencing lives and businesses worldwide.
Digital Craftsmanship: Fusing simplicity with spellbinding experiences.
Growth Catalyst: Transformative experiences as a driver for business growth.
5.21WorldSync
1WorldSync champions product content orchestration, simplifying content creation and distribution to power ecommerce and digital retail with accurate, consistent information. As a leading commerce network, 1WorldSync boasts an impressive influence, powering 87% of the world’s top brands and retailers.
Key attributes
Content Orchestration Leader: Focused on high-quality, relevant content.
Market Influence: Serving top brands and retailers globally.
Business Performance: Demonstrated impact on efficiency and conversions.
Innovative Ownership: Supported by Battery Ventures for continued excellence.
Comprehensive Information Access: Local and global product information reach.
5.3Algolia
Algolia defines the epitome of search and discovery in the digital realm, harnessing AI to instantly connect users with what they seek. According to a Forrester Consulting study, customers gain a 382% return on investment with less than a six-month payback period when deploying the Algolia Search and Discovery platform.
Key attributes
End-to-End AI Platform: Combining NLP and vector search on a unified API.
Scalable Search Experiences: Servicing billions of queries for global brands.
Unmatched Performance: Delivering over 100,000 search interactions per second.
ROI Champion: Proven financial return for customers utilizing its platform.
Global Growth: Expanding from Parisian roots to a commanding presence in San Francisco.
5.4Bluecore
Bluecore is transforming retail marketing through data intelligence, making personalized, cross-channel communication not just possible but efficient and compelling. The platform's automation capabilities are transformative, precisely targeting the "who, what, when, and where" for each individual shopper, ensuring that every message is highly relevant and timely.
Key attributes
Data-Driven Marketing: Seamlessly integrating data into campaign workflows.
Automated Precision: Tailoring communication for individual shopper profiles.
Trusted by Major Brands: Endorsed by over 400 leading global retailers.
Revenue Growth: Focused on driving customer retention and predictable growth.
Cutting-Edge Solutions: A dynamic platform for evolving retail marketing needs.
5.5Bridgeline
Bridgeline excels in amplifying online presence for businesses, offering a suite of tools that elevate traffic, conversions, and ultimately, revenue. One of their prominent products is Hawksearch, which provides a suite of digital experience solutions. These include feature-rich ecommerce and content management capabilities, turn-key site search and merchandising, SEO optimization tools, and more.
Key attributes
AI-Powered Insights: Advanced site search tools for customer satisfaction.
Robust Revenue Tools: Focusing on site search, merchandising, and SEO.
Hawksearch Advantage: Comprehensive digital experience solutions.
Strategic Partnerships: A vast network of partners enhancing digital strategies.
Innovative Technology: Utilizing AI for smart recommendations and sales.
5.6RichRelevance
RichRelevance, now Algonomy, personalizes digital experiences, propelling growth and brand devotion for some of the most celebrated retailers worldwide. Algonomy's technologies are adept at bridging the gap between marketing and commerce, a crucial aspect for digital marketing leaders.
Key attributes
AI-Powered Personalization: Bridging marketing with commerce effectively.
Life-Cycle Spanning Experiences: Offering real-time, scalable solutions.
Global Expertise: A San Francisco-headquartered company with a worldwide reach.
Industry Leader: Trusted by iconic B2C and B2B brands and retailers.
Customer-Centric: Crafting experiences that resonate on a personal level.
5.7Shopware
Shopware has cemented its role in digital commerce, providing an omnichannel platform designed for flexibility across various business models. Shopware's global network of 1,600 sales, technology, and solution partners contributes to a stable and supportive ecosystem.
Key attributes
German Ingenuity: Established in Germany with a growing North American presence.
Customizable Architecture: Headless, API-first, and open-source for unique experiences.
Extensive Partner Network: Supportive ecosystem with over 1,600 partners.
Impactful GMV: Processing over 20 billion USD in Gross Merchandise Value.
Comprehensive Solutions: Aiding mid-market to enterprise-level merchants.
5.8Coveo
Coveo leads the charge in powering digital experiences, utilizing AI to craft interactions that are both intuitive and transformative for global brands. For enterprises to achieve the AI-experience advantage at scale, Coveo believes that it is imperative to deliver semantic search and generative experiences at each customer and employee interaction.
Key attributes
Experience Powerhouse: Millions served with billions of interactions.
AI-Experience Advantage: Mastering the business-to-person dynamic.
Enterprise Backbone: Delivering semantic search and generative experiences.
Visionary AI Integration: Anticipating the needs of customers and employees.
Competitive Edge: Experience as the front line for every business's success.
5.9EDITED
EDITED is at the cutting edge of retail analysis, providing automated solutions that empower retailers to thrive through data-driven strategy optimization. Its platform is particularly valuable in the fast-paced retail environment, where understanding market trends, competitor moves, and consumer preferences is crucial for staying ahead.
Key attributes
Retail Intelligence Pioneer: Merging business analytics with market data.
Data-Driven Decisions: Turning insights into profitable retail strategies.
Agile Market Response: Keeping pace with fast-moving retail dynamics.
Actionable Insights: Empowering retail professionals to grow profits.
Competitor Analysis Expertise: Navigating trends and consumer preferences.
5.10Akeneo
Akeneo offers a robust PIM solution, orchestrating product information to enrich and expedite the journey from product management to market. The Akeneo Product Cloud is a significant offering from Akeneo, a SaaS-based solution that orchestrates, activates, and optimizes product experiences across various channels such as e-commerce, mobile, social commerce, and more.
Key attributes
PIM Excellence: Streamlining and enhancing product information management.
Product Cloud: Orchestrating experiences across diverse sales channels.
Collaborative Tools: Enabling teamwork for faster product readiness.
Tailored Solutions: Catering to various industries with specific needs.
SaaS-Based: Offering scalable and flexible product information management.
6. Summation: A Nod to Ecommerce Merchandising's Critical Impact
With a significant portion of consumers conducting online research for major purchases and engaging in spontaneous 'micro-moments' of shopping, the need for an optimized online retail environment has never been more critical. As the competition is fierce and the expectations of potential customers are rapidly evolving, the significance of refined ecommerce merchandising strategies cannot be overstated. A well-orchestrated approach to online merchandising, leveraging high-quality product photography, significantly enhances the visibility and attractiveness of all offerings to the online shopper. Harnessing customer data effectively allows for a personalized shopping experience, fostering a stronger connection between a brand and its audience. Moreover, integrating social media into the ecommerce strategy amplifies a brand’s reach and opens up new avenues for engagement and customer acquisition.
The desire for virtual try-on experiences is a testimony of ecommerce evolution and highlights the growing demand for interactive and personalized ecommerce experiences. As such, ecommerce merchandising has cemented itself as a cornerstone of online retail, essential for attracting attention, driving sales, and delivering personalized shopping experiences that resonate with the modern consumer's expectations.
However, amid escalating competition and narrow conversion windows, the necessity for instantaneous inventory and merchandising refinement is paramount, yet unattainable without automation. This implies merchandising managers must embrace ecommerce merchandising task automation for critical operations. Also, through searchandising, owners of ecommerce stores can leverage the ability to spotlight particular items, including those with high margins, top sellers, or those relevant to the current season. By focusing on these dynamic aspects, along with strategic visual merchandising, businesses can secure their position in the competitive online marketplace.
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POS Solutions
Article | April 4, 2024
Savvy retailers partner with leading marketplace software providers to dominate the digital marketplace with unified retail. Read the article to unlock the ingredients of successful retailing.
Contents
1. Unified Retail Management: The Inducer of Selling Prowess
2. Multichannel Versus Unified Commerce in Retail
3. Unlocking Operational and POS Success with Unified Retailing
4. Top Companies Dealing in Unified Retailing Software
4.1 Tackle.io
4.2 Anchanto
4.3 Logicbroker
4.4 JungleWorks
4.5 Appscrip
4.6 NuORDER
4.7 CS-Cart
4.8 AppDirect
4.9 Convictional
4.10 Mirakl
5. Summing Up
1. Unified Retail Management: The Inducer of Selling Prowess
Unified retail management is a distinct approach to retailing that involves managing diverse retail operations, from inventory management to checkouts, through a single, integrated system. By ensuring personalized shopping experiences, offering impressive integration with POS systems and checkout options, and simplifying digital marketplace processes, the unified approach benefits B2B businesses in many ways, transforming them into true selling prowess.
Over 66% of all software spending in retail is now focused on the concept of unified commerce.
[Source: Research and Markets]
With the apparent shift toward unified retail management, businesses adopting this approach today hold a competitive edge in the market. A single, integrated system comprising marketplace optimization tools helps them streamline operations, enhance productivity, reduce manual work, and gain greater visibility into their activities.
2. Multichannel Versus Unified Commerce in Retail
Representing different strategies in the retail sector, both multichannel and unified retail management approaches aim to offer customers an exceptional shopping experience, enhancing loyalty and satisfaction. While multichannel retail management involves maintaining and managing diverse sales channels, a unified approach combines them to ensure a uniform customer experience across all touchpoints.
A prominent distinction between the two is their respective points of focus. Notably, the unified approach focuses on rendering consistent customer experiences, while the multichannel approach aims to ensure a harmonious appearance of the brand. Yet, unlike the complex infrastructure that the multichannel platform entails, a unified retail management software consolidates all retail operations on a single platform, overcoming operational inefficiencies and data inconsistencies that can emerge in the former approach. The simplicity of the unified software further ushers in the desired agility in operations and decision-making prowess. Significantly, with features like consolidated platforms and real-time data synchronization, which are hard to find in a multichannel platform, unified commerce software limits the chances of discrepancies and errors, elevating business growth and profits.
3. Unlocking Operational and POS Success with Unified Retailing
As customer expectations shift and the retail environment matures, businesses worldwide are increasingly implementing unified retail management for enhanced POS strategies and peak financial gains. This transition ensures that separate channels don’t usher in frustrations with inconsistencies in customer experiences. Importantly, with online marketplace optimization tools for unified retailing, B2B businesses further stand to bridge potential gaps, unlocking operational and POS excellence, marked by:
● High Operational Efficiency
Unified retail management systems streamline various retail operations, including merchandising, marketing, and customer relations, combining different aspects of retailing to reduce manual work and increase overall operational efficiency. It further improves inventory management and ensures that overstock situations at POS are averted.
● Process Simplification for Better Customer Experiences
Whether it is simplifying crucial processes such as easy returns or ensuring seamless transactions via faster checkout and payment options, unified retail management builds trust and loyalty among customers by rendering them hassle-free experiences across all digital marketplaces and touchpoints.
● Integrated POS and Effortless Checkouts
In a unified approach, efficient transaction processing is made possible by effortlessly integrating the POS system with inventory management. This allows real-time updates of inventory levels and integrated reporting for better decision-making. It also lets businesses add effective self-checkout options, encouraging higher purchases and seamless checkout experiences.
● Better Insights and Visibility
With unified retail management systems, retailers gain greater visibility into their operations, as data and analytics are centralized. This centralization enables them to optimize POS strategies and view real-time information on variables like sales performance, customer behaviors, and stock levels.
● Personalized Selling
Unified retail management systems easily consolidate customer data from different sources into a single, centralized database, allowing for personalized selling. They also enable B2B businesses to implement dynamic pricing, offer tailored recommendations at POS, and carry out targeted promotions based on such data, cultivating stronger customer relationships and overcoming inconsistencies.
Companies that grow faster drive 40 percent more of their revenue from personalization than their slow-growing counterparts.
[Source: McKinsey]
● Cost Saving
Despite the initial investment, a transition to unified retailing promises marketplace optimization tools, which increase cost efficiency, curtail manual errors, and reduce the costs associated with handling separate channels and systems.
● E-commerce Integration
Unified retail management software easily integrates with e-commerce platforms. It allows retailers to manage online storefronts, align data across different channels, and process online orders, ensuring smooth functioning and optimum profits.
● Omnichannel Capabilities
With a unified approach, retailers could further organize omnichannel marketing campaigns, providing consistent offers, pricing, and messages across multiple touchpoints. This would also ensure customers get personalized recommendations at POS and promotions, regardless of their chosen channel.
● A True Competitive Advantage
From enhanced flexibility and customer experience to robust security and supply chain resilience, the unified approach renders a true competitive advantage to retailers, enabling them to become industry leaders and grow their customer base effectively.
4. Top Companies Dealing in Unified Retailing Software
With business optimization at the core, leading marketplace software providers are empowering businesses to attain success with the unified retailing approach.
Here’s a list of the top companies that are rendering forward-looking unified retail solutions to businesses:
4.1 Tackle.io
Founded by industry veterans, Tackle.io is a unified retail software provider that aims to simplify B2B software retail processes. Considering the present-day cloud era, Tackle.io offers an impressive platform to businesses, rendering them high earnings potential from cloud marketplaces and allowing them to launch products quickly without wide-ranging engineering resources.
Offering a comprehensive Cloud GTM platform, Tackle.io aims to support various aspects of cloud-generated revenue for enterprise-level businesses, including co-selling and marketplace integration. It employs a data-driven approach to enhance customer satisfaction and increase profits. Significantly, its easy integration with hyperscale cloud ecosystems simplifies partner collaborations and automates co-selling workflows.
4.2 Anchanto
Facilitating online sales and shipping for retailers, brands, and logistics companies, Anchanto is a notable unified retail management software provider headquartered in Singapore. The company offers a comprehensive technology stack to businesses and streamlines their retail operations through solid integration capabilities, data analytics, post-purchase services, etc., enabling them to achieve operational excellence.
The company boasts advanced SaaS technology to offer retailers scalability, cost-effectiveness, and regular updates. Furthermore, with impressive integration with more than 150 POS systems, global marketplaces, ERPs, and web stores, Anchanto allows for real-time data access and enhanced decision-making. Correspondingly, it renders customized solutions to 3PL businesses and eliminates customers’ WISMO queries, ensuring high customer loyalty.
4.3 Logicbrocker
Logicbroker is a leading multi-vendor commerce solution provider that links trading partners seamlessly, regardless of their integration methods. Offering a wide range of products, the company helps retailers enhance their brand presence by fostering connections and managing operations. Predominantly, the solution provider serves mid-market and enterprise manufacturers and retailers in different industries, including consumer electronics, health and wellness, home improvement, etc.
The company’s distinct product onboarding center cuts down manual tasks, while its dropshipping solution helps retailers widen their product range without requiring additional warehousing space. Furthermore, with tools for more straightforward payment processing, split payments, dispute resolution, visibility, and control, the solution provider supports business development, ensuring security and regulatory compliance, including CCPA, SOC, and GDPR standards.
4.4 JungleWorks
JungleWorks is a notable unified retailing software provider that renders no-code solutions to businesses wishing to manage hyperlocal operations like on-demand delivery or home services. It offers various solutions for faultless on-demand operations of companies of all sizes, from establishing online marketplaces to facilitating transactions and managing logistics.
The company aims to help on-demand service providers foster enhanced customer engagement through personalized marketing campaigns and omnichannel capabilities. It streamlines fleet operations, ensuring robust vehicle tracking and monitoring of real-time driver activities. It also provides headless e-commerce solutions, enabling businesses to leverage limitless API-driven integrations and customization options.
4.5 Appscrip
Powering mobile-first business models, Appscrip is a technology solution provider that caters to diverse businesses such as social, on-demand, shopping, messaging, discovery, etc., facilitating their technology management and modernizing their businesses through augmented reality, IoT, and telematics. With scalable, aesthetically appealing mobile apps, the solution provider is helping retailers expand their businesses by focusing on their products and ensuring high customer satisfaction.
Correspondingly, the comprehensive solution provider offers end-to-end IT and development services to retailers, helping businesses through the whole product development cycle, from ideation to implementation. Furthermore, with its specialization in mobile-first models, dedicated POD teams, and impressive tech stack, it prioritizes user experiences, enabling businesses to launch their products rapidly, scale their businesses, and ensure high customer engagement through an intuitive interface.
4.6 NuORDER
Lightspeed, a leading B2B platform provider, offers the NuORDER solution to businesses, which carries the right ingredients for retailing success. The comprehensive NuORDER software promises users compelling features like integrated payment solutions and virtual showrooms, simplifying wholesale transactions for brands and retailers worldwide. Acquired by Lightspeed in 2021, the software further facilitates automated workflows and data-driven decisions for B2B selling with integrations with over 120 POS systems, ERP, and PLM. Moreover, through its impressive attributes, NuORDER streamlines retail operations, allowing retailers to optimize inventory allocation, view unified catalogs, and work with teams across diverse brands and stores.
The company’s strong suit lies in its ability to facilitate data-driven decision-making, allowing error reduction, enhanced control, and better business outcomes. With the platform’s easy compatibility with chain stores, department stores, and online retailers, NuORDER renders solutions for diverse retail environments, increasing order efficiency and fine-tuning range plans across all stores and departments.
4.7 CS-Cart
CS-Cart is a leading e-commerce software that provides businesses with a self-hosted multivendor solution. Its open-source architecture allows retailers to customize and scale their e-commerce websites and caters to SMEs and enterprises. The solution has distinct features like payment dependencies and vendor-to-admin payments, which renders an excellent POS experience.
Furthermore, the company offers tools for automating tasks, handling marketplace workflows, optimizing order processing and product management, and simplifying seller onboarding, which boost sales and augment retail operations. The company also provides easy integration with over 70 payment gateways and diverse payment options, implements comprehensive security measures, and ensures compliance with industry standards like GDPR and PCI DSS.
4.8 AppDirect
Headquartered in San Francisco, AppDirect is a cutting-edge B2B subscription commerce platform provider that connects technology advisors, businesses, and providers to simplify retail processes associated with technology solutions. Correspondingly, the company aims to help enterprises collaborate successfully and gain high efficiency in the B2B technology sector.
Notably, AppDirect's software offers multiple features to retailers, including a custom cloud marketplace, advanced merchandising tools, fast checkouts with diverse payment options, industry-specific solutions, and a catalog of over 300 pre-integrated SaaS and IaaS providers, which ensure tailored online marketplaces for businesses for enhanced customer experience and strong brand presence.
4.9 Convictional
Recognized as a leading modern dropship platform provider, Convictional helps established retailers launch new dropship, cross-selling, and marketplace programs. With advanced tools for marketplace dominance, robust vendor management, and integration capabilities, it allows retailers to onboard and dropship with various brands, ensuring quicker assortment growth, limited onboarding time, and increased online sales.
Convictional further allows retailers to expand their product range quickly without manual efforts and ensure smart decisions through data-driven insights. The company’s software boasts impressive collaboration tools, encouraging transparency and establishing a win-win situation for retailers and suppliers. Its impressive attributes also include automated payouts with flexible payment options, making for smooth invoicing and greater customer convenience.
4.10 Mirakl
Founded in 2012, Mirakl is a leading technology partner promising digital growth to businesses worldwide through its innovative features. The company offers unmatched expertise and assistance to retailers through its comprehensive solutions for all operations, from implementation to development. With the ability to manage millions of API calls, SKUs, and stock updates, Mirakl promises retailers seamless digital business advancements and optimum profits.
The company further boasts an impressive retail media experience, enabling businesses to monetize their platforms through targeted advertising. From launching platform businesses to maximizing product ranges, Mirakl effectively empowers enterprises to enhance their digital presence through impressive marketplace and dropship solutions. It also renders tailored solutions to industry-specific retailers, including fashion, grocery, health and beauty, and so on.
5. Summing Up
Unified retail management promises B2B businesses the ability to outperform competitors in the market, serving as a driving force behind enhanced selling competencies. From ensuring excellent customer experiences to streamlining operations and enabling data-driven decision-making, the marketplace software platform for unified retail empowers businesses by increasing their efficiencies, reducing costs, and helping them meet their business goals. Importantly, with the retail sector quickly transforming, companies investing in unified retail management software firmly set themselves up for sustained growth and business excellence in the digital marketplace.
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Restaurant POS
Article | December 1, 2022
Introduction
The hospitality industry has always been challenging and full of obstacles, such as low-profit margins, high competition, and turnover management, irrespective of the type of restaurant or level of owner experience. However, rapidly changing business dynamics and current conditions have increased these challenges enormously.
Changing customer preferences, including high customer service expectations and an emphasis on the sourcing of ingredients and nutrition values, affect the entire operation. Also, the growing importance of reviews and word-of-mouth referrals makes brand management both more crucial and complex.
Thus, several restaurant owners are increasingly investing in innovative solutions, such as restaurant POS systems, to improve the consumer experience, empower business owners to manage restaurant operations more efficiently, and increase ROI.
Top 5 Ways How Restaurant POS Integration Can Boost ROI
Due to the fast-paced nature of the restaurant sector, coupled with ever-changing customer needs, business owners encounter numerous challenges in keeping up with the changes and meeting customer expectations while maintaining perfect control over all aspects of their operations.
As restaurant POS systems provide solutions for these challenges while also improving workplace efficiency, automating several tasks, monitoring employee performance, and enhancing security, these systems are gaining massive popularity in the hospitality industry.
Out of all the new features that restaurants can get from POS integrations, such as delivery management, accounting, and more, these are the most important ones that help owners get the best return on their investment:
Create Data-driven Campaigns
Modern POS solutions enable restaurant owners to collect valuable data about their customers, such as their preferred food choices, their addresses, how often they visit the establishment, and others. These actionable insights can be used to create personalized campaigns, increasing their chances of responding to a customized offer and improving ROI.
Support Omnichannel Communications and Payments
With the advent of e-commerce, food can now be ordered and paid for via multiple channels, including the restaurant's website, third-party applications, the phone, and others. Therefore, it has become essential for restaurant owners to increase contact with their customers.
Integrating a restaurant POS system enables owners to facilitate omnichannel communication and payments and discover the optimal way to communicate with consumers, thereby increasing food order flow from both offline and online channels.
Improves Customer Relationship
As the restaurant sector continues to become more competitive year by year, it is becoming crucial for restaurant owners to improve their relationships with customers. With restaurant POS systems, customers can make the payment using their preferred methods, such as cash, credit or debit card, QR code, UPI, and others.
These systems also reduce the time for placing food orders as well as decline the chances of order misplacement. This results in providing better customer service, improving customer relationships, and increasing customer inflow.
Streamline Restaurant Operations
From front-of-house to back-of-house operations, modern POS technology assists restaurant owners in streamlining various business operations such as inventory control, labor management, payment getaways, and order tracking and delivery, among others. Thereby reducing the overall cost, declining the chances of errors, and improving profit margins.
Final Thought
Today, POS technology is clearly a necessity for the hospitality industry, irrespective of the type of establishment, such as fine dining, fast food, cloud kitchen, hotels, and others, to enhance restaurant operations, provide a smoother customer experience, and improve ROI.
With the introduction of customizable POS solutions and a growing shift towards cashless payments, modern restaurant POS systems are anticipated to transform the ways of food ordering and payment in the forthcoming years.
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